OS4 TV software

hello,

Elbox arrive to support a lots of number of TV cards with a TV.library (10ko) and a header located on env/mediator) and a third party TV program (superTV or TVR).

there are surely some common ressources or things to know to use lots of differents TV card models succesfully at least on classic /mediator/aos3.x/elbox software.

I'm wondering to see a TV card working on my mediator -hum...AOS4.1) but I think the PCTV PCI card I have (temic 4046FM5) on my classic not work because not the good Voltage ??


List a TV supported by elbox are on the elbox site...

NOTE:

BT848-849-878-879: finally like all cards supported by elbox.

NOTE2:

Why not asking help from TV software authors for mediator like superTV 1.0 or TVR 3.0. Maybe they could provide to you their source code (SuperTV) or support your aos4 library (TVR - because allways developped).

@Cap

Quote:

I'm using a speccy 128

@agafaster

I've still had zero reports back though about if anyone has actually tried 0.10.....

Doesn't exactly inspire me to work much harder on it when it took me most of a weekend to get it to that point!

@Spirantho

have just found my pinnacle PCTV card but too high vertically for my small SAM on Mapower case.

Maybe the first step is to found model of TV cards that work with your software and one enough small to be use on mini tower case like the RED One. Thats could interest amiga resellers IMHO.

Maybe hard to found betatesters for your software because just the idea to have a TV card on an amiga-NG is so new (I have a SAM since a few weeks only) ???

Hum... small PCI TV card exist for a SAM amiga on RED ONE case ???

If not the case, hope you will found someone for testing on AONE/PEGASOS...

@Mrodfr

It's not a new idea, I wrote the version on OS4Depot in about 2005!

Your Pinnacle TV card is unlikely to work on the SAM because the SAM requires a 3.3V PCI card, and the Bt8x8 are 5V only. The Cx2388x ones, however, are dual standard, so they should work; maybe your Pinnacle card is Cx2388x-based but unlikely unless it's fairly recent.

Any Bt8x8 or Cx2388x chipset-based card should work with AmiTV....
I agree, though, it would be nice to get a standard card which we know works on all Amigas and to get it bundled with my software via AmigaKit and others. That'd be cool. I really do need to get everything running really nicely on that card though before that can happen, and that means tuner and audio support too.

@Spirantho

Yes, you are right, a bundle with your software and a PCI TV card for all amiga-NG will be perfect. Maybe a dealer could make something, amigakit ???


Have searching on an internet computer site about TV cards and more and more become PCI-E and verry hard (but possible to found PCI card of course) to found low profile PCI TV cards and at the end not sure, if using your required chipset.

BTW, the pinnacle PCTV TV card I have is too big for the SAM (need low profile PCI TV card).


About the idea: just the SAM since a few weeks and not known before your program. I'm using a classic untill now


Too bad there are no list with TV card based of Bt8x8 or Cx2388x chipset-based card somewhere.....

hey... http://www.chris-tv.com/cards.html

@Mrodfr

If this card is big for you Sam you can donate it to me :D and I will test it in uA1c ;) maybe is working in this combination :D

For what it's worth I just bought another TV card (KWorld AV/DV/TV card) on Scan.co.uk yesterday - it arrived today - and I'm testing it now. It cost ?20 and uses the Conexant CX23883 chip which is why I wanted to try it - I now have 5 TV cards. :)
I still can't get interrupts from the Cx2388x chipsets, though, it's very weird.

This card incidentally does not support 3.3V PCI so will not work in a SAM. However, the WinTV card which I have (HVR1300) is 3.3V compliant so should work.

You can tell if a card is 3.3V by if it has a hole in the bus connector near the backplane. If it does, it'll probably work in a SAM. Just make sure it uses the Conexant chipset, which you can usually find on the web via Google. Also anything with the number "88" is probably based on this chipset, as it's codenamed cx88 quite often.

@Spirantho

good to see your working on amitv again i hope you get it working properly much needed program i have the bt878 chipset just need it to pick up tv stations now via ariel :)

@Spirantho

this kind of low profile (small vertically size) PCI card maybe work on SAM on little vertically size case like RedOne. Hauppauge wintv nova T500.

http://www.svmlemag.fr/tests/0817/hauppauge_wintv_nova_t_500

(french link for the picture). NOTE: no chance, DiBcom DB3000-P chipset based.


I don't think, @Spirantho, you have planned to support input/output camrecorder, webcam,.... features on sofisticated TV cards that mean maybe this kind of Tv cards with just an antenna output is sufficient.

This format could be used on all amigaNG, maybe even SAM-NG amigas on small case.

The HVR1300 is too big for a SAM on small case. For sure, this kind of TV card must be fitted well on normal case for Aone,.....


I don't understand you not found one or two betatesters for your software. Amiga users with a TV card should exist and by verry chance with the required chipset.... ??? (Have just post a news on a french amiga news site).


@voodoo

the PCTV card work great on the classic. allow me to redirect the PAL screen to TV software on the 1200 for playing PAL games with WHDload. Just the comp from the 1200 isn't top quality

@Spirantho

Any chance to TV card is working on uA1c or this is not possible ??? For now I only have working PCI network card in this PCI slot... And I read that PCI slot on MicroA1 is not good for all type of card (GFX,TV)??!

@VooDoo

It shouldn't be any worse than the AmigaOne! You can try it anyway, won't damage anything.

@mrodfr

The Win/TV Nova cards are for digital satellite, hence the different chipset.

@poweramiga

What tuner is your card using? Maybe I have a card with the same tuner....

@Spirantho

Sorry mate - I appreciate the effort - given how much effort it is for me to find the time to even get NEAR my computer !

I'm trying it right this minute ... (TBH cant remember if I have tried it or not !!)

-edit-
By 'eck thats much better !
very stable - although it does sometimes go green if I move the mouse of the window.
I'll try to get some grabs up...

-edit2-
...which of course wont work as SGrab doesnt deal with overlays...!

@Spirantho:

I've just installed an avermedia tv card pci on my pegasos II.

ami603 at gmail.com, Email me if you need any tests to make it work with interrupts or something.

@Ami603

Just replied to your mail on utilitybase.com... but for the benefits of others:

http://www.retroreview.com/iang/AmiTV_0.12a.lha

Fully supports CX2388x chipset, but probably not with interrupts.
Also has a new interrupt mode: Faked Interrupts. This mode polls the interrupt register, so shouldn't cause crashes.

However, I have been getting the occasional crash on the Cx2388x chipset for some reason, when starting the program. You have been warned. :) Usually it's ok though.

OK, here's a new version.

http://www.retroreview.com/iang/AmiTV_0.13.lha

This version now supports the Sam440! It's also more stable, more useful, and generally funkier.

So PLEASE if you have a Bt848, Bt878 or Cx2388x-based TV card, give it a try.

@Spirantho

On a Hauppage WinTV bt878 card (at least amitv shows this), after switching to analog input, I see the noise for 1 or 2 seconds and the whole machine stuck (hangs). I need to push the reset button. I'm using interrupt disabled.

@Spirantho
v0.13
Trying on my Wintv Bt878.
I manage to get a picture off my dvd player connected via composite. A nice pink letters(DVD) with a green background mostly.
Lasts for a few seconds before hard lockup.
If i change input fast enough the program doesnt crash till i change to composite again.
Tried all the different settings via the menu. Pretty much the result so far.
Oh .I`m also using this on OS4 Final.
I`ve just altered the stack setting up to about 2,000,000 and that makes it last longer to test it abit better.
Tried the Direct setting and this gives out a black and white picture with green bars running form top to the bottom of the screen.

The menu options under Overlay are missing the first two letters off each. i.e Buffered-ffered
Direct -rect
None -ne

Keep up the good work.Sorry if we`re a bit so slow with the testing.



Mark

@Chip

I don't there's much I can do about that. It's an error in the way the VIA 686b chip handles the interrupts I think. Even though interrupts are completely disabled it still crashes solid when the picture isn't stable.

Simple solution - don't try and display a empty signal. We don't have working tuner support anyway, so there's no need for it to ever occur, at least for now.

@Cap

Are you sure your DVD player isn't outputing a Macrovision-encrypted signal is it? Try it with a pure source, i.e. a set-top box, a Commodore 64, that sort of thing.

I've got a version that handles interrupts slightly differently now, maybe that'll remove the lock-up, though, anyway. I'll upload it soon.

Ok, v0.14 uploaded to

www.retroreview.com/iang/AmiTV_0.14.lha

Changes:

Interrupts now only created at all when required. Should increase stability.
Improved handling of corrupt streams. Should allow better switching of inputs and removal/application of a valid signal.

Please try!